1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to alimentary pastes and, more particularly, to pre-cooked or instant-cooking oriental-type long noodles having multiple layers, or plies, that differ from one another with respect to the amount of protein and/or starch contained therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Improvements have conventionally been made in the quality of Japanese-type noodles (called "Udon" in Japan) and of buckwheat noodles, etc., by improving the manufacturing processes, developing additives for improving the noodle quality or by attempting to mix animal protein therewith. However, all such improvements relate substantially to noodles of a single layer and involved the following problems, A-E, inherent with such noodles:
(A) Improving the properties of materials to be made into noodles and improving the reconstitution properties of the product noodles generally oppose each other. For example, addition of too much protein causes the dough sheets to be hard and readily broken or cut and prevents the noodle product from being smooth or slippery textured; PA1 (B) Effects of additives to the noodles to prevent them from excessively swelling with water are limited; PA1 (C) Additives are included in, and affect, the whole of the noodles when they should be effective only on the surfaces and, thus, a portion of the additives is extra and uneconomical and adversely affects the taste and texture of the noodle; PA1 (D) Animal or vegetable protein added to the noodles may harden them, reduce the surface smoothness or cause a peculiar protein smell which is inherently bad and adversely affects the consumer's appetite; and PA1 (E) Noodles containing protein therein will, when fried, be colored brown, thereby reducing their commercial value.
Attempts have also been made to produce Japanese-type noodles having a plurality of layers as exemplified by the prior Japanese utility model publications described below.
Japanese No. 27-5472 shows a noodle having a longitudinal bore in which egg liquid is enclosed to provide a particular taste and nourishment and, when the egg liquid is hardened as the noodle is boiled, to prevent the noodle from being broken. This is, however, no improvement of the texture of the noodles in view of the foregoing problems, A-E, and the noodles are not suitable for mass production.
Japanese No. 50-15013 shows a noodle having an inner layer consisting essentially of buckwheat flour with a small amount of wheat flour and a proper amount of powdered bonito and outer layers consisting essentially of wheat flour with a small amount of powdered bonito to prevent the inner layers, when boiled, from being broken and to flavor the noodle with bonito. Again, there is no improvement with respect to the foregoing problems, A-E.
Japanese No. 51-17263 shows a noodle having a pair of layers, one being a buckwheat paste strip and the other being a wheat paste strip called "Udon". Such a noodle includes the taste of both buckwheat and "Udon" while the wheat paste strip reinforces the buckwheat noodle portion. However, there is no improvement with respect to said problems, A-E.
It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide novel, multi-layer noodles which can be economically mass-produced without breaking or cutting and which can be used for raw, steamed, boiled, dried or pre-cooked noodles.
Another object of this invention is to provide multi-layer noodles which can be quickly restored or reconstituted with hot water or as boiled upon consumption, the outer layers having a relatively smoother or more slippery texture and the inner layer or layers having a relatively more elastic or rubbery texture, both textures being significant to Japanese or oriental noodles.
A further object of the invention is to provide multi-layer noodles, the outer layers of which, being generally rich in starch and poor in protein, will in production prevent the dough sheet from being broken and will shut in the smell of protein in the inner layers, which is generally rich in protein, while the inner layer, being generally poor in starch, will minimize the undesirable excessive swelling of the noodle in hot water upon consumption.